Norway’s soccer federation has demanded that Gianni Infantino step down immediately, adding further pressure on FIFA’s embattled president on Friday. Infantino is facing widespread pressure following his unsuccessful proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup.
The Norwegian federation convened a meeting on Thursday, after which president Lise Klaveness announced the decision to formally request Gianni Infantino’s resignation.
“We decided that there is no trust in Infantino now,” Klaveness told the Guardian. “We have been worried consistently, and there has been one more step in a worrying direction every year, every part of the year. The trust is now gone for us; there is no way back for Infantino.”
The move marks another setback for Infantino as criticism mounts over his controversial plan to monetise World Cup profits via a commercial entity named FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).
European backlash mounts against FIFA’s leadership team
European governing body UEFA stated Thursday that its threat to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA events remains active, even after FIFA discarded the project and issued an apology. UEFA reaffirmed that it no longer has confidence in Infantino’s leadership.
Although Infantino appeared to temporarily quell internal dissent during a summit with senior officials in Rabat, Morocco, where FIFA reported he received total backing, the firm reactions from UEFA and Norway highlight deep-seated dissatisfaction across European football. The English Football Association has likewise pulled its backing for Infantino’s re-election attempt next March.
According to Norwegian broadcaster NRK, the country’s federation intends to lodge an additional complaint with FIFA’s ethics committee. The filing will cover the FFE venture, the peace prize presented to Donald Trump, and the decision to lift Folarin Balogun’s one-match World Cup suspension.
“We have reached a situation where extraordinary measures are needed to create lasting change,” Klaveness said.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is under intense pressure after attempting to push through a secret plan to sell private stakes in a new commercial subsidiary running the World Cup. The backlash sparked threats of a tournament boycott by UEFA, leadership resignations, and accusations of poor governance.
Widespread outrage forced FIFA to completely abandon the proposal.
(With inputs from PTI)
